I sit here 49 years to the day after this show. Of course I wasn't born at the time. But this really is a gem, and we are truly grateful that these recordings exist so that those of us who weren't around back then can get a little taste of how it was.

Yes, I am a huge fan of Dark Star, and the 1972 style. And I am a huge fan of the free ensemble style of this era.

I aso agree this Star has a lot of spaces to explore.

That said with full respect to the tastes of positive reviewers of this version, no, the bulk of the middle jamming never connected for me. All the elements are there, with Phil awesomely leading the way. And the improv of everyone is sharp. But something about the angular, dissonant, unpretty jazz themes, even when masterful. don't touch my heart or my space head. I wish it did.

The stuff I crave only surfaces at the last several minutes of melodic stuff before the drums.

Yes I also like the high energy Billy solo which is unique, and the more linear post drum jam is a sufficient funky groove.

But no, for me, not a top 5. The meat of the sandwich was not for me. Please feel free to disagree.

Would I still wish I saw this show? Sure.

This is the show i want to take the time machine back to. Perfect blissed out dead out in the woods with family and all the freedom any head could want while hitting a peak post Europe. Truly inspiring. Thank you to all involved for documenting such a special time.If you were there please tell me about your experience that day. I heard the naked guy on the pole dancing peaking is a real estate agent now. Though it would be cool to have been that guy freaking out to Jerry i probably would have been able to find a more low key spot to watch the show. If anyone finds a time machine lets use it to see this show.

I haven't come across a Dark Star from this era and before that I DIDN'T like, but this one is special. Oh hell, I say that about 'em all.

The whole show is terrific, a real must-listen/have.

This show is very hot. Check out the BTW, Playin',
and phenomenal Dark Star.

Good recording. There are some tuning issues as said with both bass and guitar, it sorts itself out eventually. yes, wicked dark star.72-74 is all so good.

Fantastic stuff from the golden era.
Saw a number of shows at the Palace (incl. The Kinks in '77) but this one was a bit before my time. Back then the Theater was in major disrepair (it's gorgeous now), but it is a great sounding room (and the CT Deadheads are a great breed). This one just crackles with energy (to quote Jerry). Too bad the Playing is cut because it is just brilliant and jazzy, one of my all time favorites. The Birdsong is so fresh and vibrant. I'll let all the others speak for the Dark Star...actually, to heck with that..listen and decide for yourself just how brain exploding it is. Truly amazing playing. This is proof of just how mighty they were in their heyday. nothing from the 80's or '90's comes close.

The whole DS is killer, but especially from approx. 22:00-25:00; it sounds like a Sonic Youth record from 15 years in the future! Can't imagine how great it must've been in person.

The Dead played both friday and saturday night that weekend. We were lucky to get tickets for both nights. Palace is a small theater i believe it fit about 3500 back then. the dead blew the place apart. I have seen the Dead many time through out the years and this Dead weekend was one the best ever.

Great playing. Mediocre recording.

This is one of the most interesting Dark Star's out there. I don't know how I missed it after all these years! It is the perfect Dark Star in every sense! It is one that demands a full listen through, you won't want to miss a note. The highlight for me is Phil's bass work. He rips bass bombs after the first verse that will melt your brain. The Space jam after is intense and filled with jazzy chording and perfect Garcia wah-soloing. Keith does amazing work throughout as well. Sometimes my attention span isn't long enough to listen to a 30 minute Dark Star but this version kept my attention every second of the way. It is a psychedelic masterpiece and should rightly be counted among the best of the greatest Dark Stars! I think I have found a new favorite!

This whole show is killer, the Palace run must have been amazing to see! The Bird Song is also a highlight. This also has to be one of the best '72 China Cat Rider's as well, just listen to the precision of Bobby's solo! The boys were totally on this night! The sound isn't perfect, but the playing makes up for it! Sounds good to me!

the saucers are chasing the teacups on this one folks.........wow

and let's not forget Phil and more Phil,
a tour de force through this show

Phil is out of tune for several - well - tunes. But he nonetheless carries BTW, and then the show starts cooking wih Cumberland Blues.

September '72 really is a great month. And I noticed that in Chinacat's bridge to Rider, there are shreds of what later became Hell in a Bucket. I think there was bass not long before that too that Jerry reflected.

This Dark Star gets very dissonant, there's a part where it sounds like Phil is assaulting his bass....very disturbing string scraping.......10 stars

The only time the Grateful Dead ever came to Waterbury and the Palace and boy did they come.

Kicking Darkstar definitely in my top 10.
A sweet jam on China Cat
and Keith brings it nicely on Promised Land

A definite listen (and if you know how) a download

I can attest to the power of the band this night, having been in a center front row of the balcony. Dark Star with Phil's booming power chords on the bass. OUCH! I had never heard anything so LOUD but the sound quality in the Palace was clear as first ice on a pond in December. I can't wait to download this and listen. (I'm new to the whole digital thing.)

I give this 5 stars to try and lift it in the rankings. I am in total awe at the Dark Star, as well as many other parts of this show.Every true deadhead should give it a listen. I have never posted in the forum, but I am going to start a post about this dark star. Face is melting off head right now....

This is an excellent show, all around. I concur with the other reviewers - do not let the few minor blemishes sound-wise discourage you from downloading this one. Definitely worth a lossless download.

Set 1 is really good. Cumberland is great and Sugaree has some nice tight solos. Excellent Birdsong. The real gem here is Playin' which is jammed out nicely, but with precision.

The medley that starts off the first set is the mirror image of the medley from the night before. Nice FOTD, and a great '72 Jack Straw.

Now, the real reason to get this show. The Dark Star is a major one for '72. I'm not sure why this isn't usually mentioned in the same breath as some of the other titans, but WOW. There is a jazzy Coltranesque thing going on early, and then thunderous Phil bass accompanied by Keith's acoustic piano (which almost sounds like harpsicord in places during this number). The segue into Chinacat is pure magic (hey, is this 1968?), and followed up of course by a killer Ride. The cut in Rider is unfortunate, but in reality it comes near the end of the song and is not that heart-rending as you might think (it cuts out after "...cool Colorado rain...").

Not much else to add here. Thanks again, Dr. Flashback! Your advice on '72-'73 shows is always spot-on!

Get it now!

(This would be a 5-star show if not for the cuts and few other minor sound blemishes.)

The few blips/cuts on this show should not deter downloading. Playin', Bird Song, Cumberland all very fine. But it's the DS>China Cat that makes this show a must [I love reading the Dr's reviews - just wanted to clarify on the China Cat point. Before the band penned St Stephen in June 1968, the medley was Dark Star > China Cat Sunflower > The Eleven; eg DP 22: February 23 1968]

This is an outstanding tape, albeit, a little muddy on the vocals. This show rages from beginning to end. Of particular note are The Birdsong, the Playing, The Dark Star. The Bird Song is gentle, lilting, and spacey... feeling all spongy-around-the-eyes/time-has-slowed-down type of spacey... yet still going somewhere. Bird Song is as Bird Song does. Do it.
The Playin is Miles Davis style organized confusion, personified. This jam just keeps on going. One member having an idea... another picking up on it and running with it... still another expanding and changing the original idea until it is something else completely different. This Playin is what we all paid our money for, folks! In terms of number of musical changes, and smoothness of each change within the jam, this is Grateful Dead of it's highest calibur. As always, a quick listen will prove my point perfectly. Start at the 4 or 5 minute point in the Playin and go until the 8 minute mark and my point is proven.
The Dark Star is everything we build up, in our minds, whenever we see the name on a setlist, or as a possible download. More fusion style, loose jam type of opening... Bobby comping a la Johnny Mac on "The Jack Johnson Sessions"... leading to the vocals.
The vocals are typical 72/73/74 style beauty. The acquired taste of Dead vocals are perfectly displayed on this Dark Star. Jerry is perfect. They space for a bit before deciding on a brief psychedelic boogie woogie based jam, with Jerry leading the jam and Keith giving the appropriate electric piano fills. Phil and Bill are in perfect synch, pushing the drive of the jam. Bobby throws in his out-of-nowhere chords and VOILA; instant Dead-In-Full-Raging-Jam mode. They go where ONLY the Dead know to go. That would be further.
Next, they coalesce for a few minutes, building on a chord progression to a bass driven ball of confusion... from which emerges... a jam of mediocre tempo... completely original... perfect Dead... each member seeming to do their own thing until it emerges, once again, as a perfectly unified meshing of ideas that always provide dancability. ÂI give it a 5 stars, Mr Clark, because of the beat... and you can dance to itÂ.
This leads directly into drums... the drums are short and sweet, progressing to a Phil driven jam. Once again, although jazz-based in feel, this thing is perfect Rockin Grateful Dead... and out of the blue comes China Cat... Jerry bending strings... expressing pain... wailing with every note he plays. The Bobby led section, into I Know You Rider, is particularly poignant. Bobby plays clear as a bell, with Jerry lurking in the background... chirping away... waiting for his turn. It cuts towards the end of Rider but as they say... ThatÂs Hollywood! Get This One! Do Not Pass/Go if seeking fusion era Miles Based Dead.

This show is excellent, but there can't be enough said about this 30 minute + dark star. The jam is overwhelming and truly never loses your attention span. I don't believe i've downloaded a show where Phil's bass hits harder - my entire apartment complex was shaking. And of course...into China Cat ... and then I know you rider?? My god, download this show.

I was always amused that the Dead had played in my hometown way before my time (81-92). And this 3000 or so seat Theater was such a dump, and so empty, for so long it was hard to believe. Someone I once knew said that the place was packed to the rafters and could not take it, so they left early (not a Dead head). The recording of the show is good and the performance is really good, as so many during that tour were.

Okay, call me crazy, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and name ANOTHER Sept 72 as a top ten.I've had the Dark Star thru the end for some years now, and it never fails to blow me away.I had hoped the rest of the show was as good.Thanks to LAMA,I wasn't disappointed! Great versions of many favorite songs,Cumberland, Bird Song, FOTD. And the Greatest>Bertha>Promised is a hot combo too.Okay, so Tomorrow is Forever is kinda shaky. And there are a number of flaws that prevent this from being a 5 star. But the Dark Star is just tremendous. Very explorative and long, over 30 minutes with some beautiful jams that never get too dissonant. And the rare (only?) time they come out of it into - China Cat?? Too bad the Rider is cut. Oh, did I mention the Playin is also very intense? Thru the scratches - this diamond still shines through. Listen and see if you don't agree! A good twin show with Dick's Picks 9/27 3 nights later, and just as good. Recommended, a unique and colorful show.
Dr. Flashback ;-)